XN000022-1994-10-07 — Page 30

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1994

COUNTRY YEARS.

MR LAI PARKS

SAID THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES

INSIDE OR THREATENING IN 1993/94 WAS 155, THE SECOND LOWEST IN THE PAST 10

NONETHELESS, THESE RELATIVELY LOW HILL FIRE OCCURRENCES HAD RESULTED IN ABOUT 86,200 TREES ON 1,024 HECTARES OF COUNTRY PARK LAND BEING DAMAGED,

HE STRESSED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO LET-UP IN COUNTRYSIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT.

FIRE

BUT IS IS ESSENTIAL THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WOULD ADHERE TO ADVISE ON THE SAFE USE OF FIRE IN THE COUNTRYSIDES SO AS TO KEEP THE NUMBER OF HILL FIRES TO AN EVEN LOWER LEVEL.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE OUTBREAK OF HILL FIRES IS MAINLY CAUSED BY THE PREVAILING WEATHER CONDITIONS. A PARTICULARLY DRY AND WINDY DAY, COUPLED WITH THE CARELESSNESS OF COUNTRY PARK VISITORS, MAY RESULT IN A DISASTROUS FIRE,

"THE DAMAGES CAUSED BY THESE FIRES COULD BE VERY DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR COUNTRYSIDE VEGETATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES. IT WOULD ALSO UPSET THE LANDSCAPE QUALITY AND SCENIC VALUE, DESTROY WILDLIFE HABITATS AND CAUSE SOIL EROSION, "HE SAID.

THE SENIOR COUNTRY PARKS OFFICER REITERATED THAT MOST OF THE HILL FIRES COULD BE AVOIDED IF THE PUBLIC WERE ABLE TO TAKE SOME SIMPLE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.

THESE MEASURES INCLUDE LIGHTING FIRES ONLY IN DESIGNATED BARBECUE SITES, NO DISCARDING OF CIGARETTE ENDS, NO BURNING WEEDS AND RUBBISH ON HILLSIDE FARMLAND AS WELL AS NEVER LEAVING BURNING JOSS STICKS AND PAPER UNATTENDED.

HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE LOCAL RESIDENTS HAD BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE PREVENTION, BOTH IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AND THE URBAN PROPER, AFTER YEARS OF GOVERNMENT

PUBLICITY EFFORTS.

IN THE COMING MONTHS, THE AFD WOULD PREPARE A NUMBER OF EDUCATIONAL AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES THROUGH TELEVISION, RADIO AND THE PRINTED MEDIA AS WELL AS EXHIBITIONS TO PUT ACROSS THE MESSAGE OF HILL FIRE PREVENTION TO ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.

THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO BACK UP THE CAMPAIGN THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF PUBLICITY MATERIALS.

TURNING TO THE FIGHTING OF HILL FIRES, MR LAI POINTED OUT THAT FIRE FIGHTING CREWS EACH OF 10 MEMBERS WOULD BE MOBILISED WITHIN AFD DURING THE DRY SEASON.

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IN ADDITION TO HAVING 10 FIRE LOOKOUTS, THE AFD ALSO HAS A FIRE CONTROL CENTRE AT TAI PO ROAD TO CO-ORDINATE ALL FIRE FIGHTING

ARRANGEMENTS.

A 24-HOUR HOTLINE (720 0777) IS ALSO MAINTAINED TO COLLECT HILL FIRE REPORTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

/MR LAI

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